By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A vessel from Russia’s Far East Shipping Company carrying 50 tonnes of bottled mineral water as humanitarian aid for Japan would set off Wednesday from Vladivostok, a spokeswoman said.
A magnitude-9 quake struck off Japan’s northeast coast March 11, triggering a tsunami and explosions in the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Almost 15,000 people died in the disaster and over 9,000 more remain unaccounted for. The government says the damage from the disaster could total $310 billion.
“It turned out during consultations with the Japanese Consulate General in Vladivostok that territories in Japan, which suffered from the earthquake, are in need of mineral water, primarily for nourishment of children up to one year of age,” company spokesperson Tatyana Kulikova said.
The company has provided over 32,000 bottles of mineral water, which will be delivered by the Nikolay vessel. The ship is expected to dock at Japan’s Hamada port May 25.